Who is at risk of blocked drains? If you have recently bought a new home, there is no need to worry your drains should be working perfectly. However, for older homes and rented accommodation the drains may be slightly outdated. This means they may be narrower. Therefore, the drains can collect debris such as food or hair quickly and cause a blockage. Lifestyle and habits are also a major factor in causing blocked drains in both new and older homes. If you wash dishes in the sink, food will collect quickly in the drain and cause a blockage. Similarly, if you have long hair or thick hair this will gather in your drain quickly in your bathroom. When should I get my drains checked? It is a good idea to get your drains checked regularly as a preventative measure. Ideally you should get your drains professionally cleaned and tested once a year. However, if you have issues such as getting blockages often e.g. Once a month. This means there may be a more serious issue with your drains. In this case it would be recommended to get your drains checked. A CCTV drain survey is a service in which a camera goes into the drains to find the root of an issue. This would allow you to find the source of a problem and rectify it to cease any trouble you may be having with your drains. Other issues that should not be ignored when it comes to drains are bad smells coming from your drain and water draining slowly. These may not seem like major issued but should be dealt with as soon as possible. Why is frequent upkeep of my drains important? Regularly cleaning and testing of your drains will save you money in the long run. Well maintained drains will last longer and require less upkeep. Less upkeep means there will be less stress on your drains in the future. This will reduce the likelihood of the drains having to be replaced. How long does it take for a drain to block? The answer is different for everyone. If your drains have a high volume of usage e.g. a large family sharing a bathroom or kitchen, it is likely the drain may require more frequent cleaning. This is simply due to the drain collecting a high volume of food debris or hair. Flushing products such as baby wipes will cause your drain to block. These do not break down in water and remain in your drain causing a blockage. The key is to know what causes a blockage and actively try to prevent this.